Turn-tilt unloading toy railway car



Ap i 1945- R. G. SMITH 2,373,148

7 TURN-TILT UNLOADING TOY RAILWAY CAR Filed May 28, 1940 s Sheets-Sheet 1 lNVENTOR BY I ' v ATTORNEY April 10, 1945. R. G. SMITH TURN-TILT UNLOADING TOY RAILWAY CAR Filed May 28, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 HHHH IH HHHHHHI HH HH IHU 1 r INVENgR BY ATTORNEY April 1 4 I R. (3. SMITH 2,373,148

TURN-TILT UNLOADING TOY RAILWAY CAR Filed May 28, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR W8 ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 10, 1945 UNITED STATES QOFFICE I r v 2,373,148]

TURN-TILT UNLOADING TOYBAILWAY CAR Richard G. Smith, nsea N. Y. Application May 28, 1940; s'er 1naesvgszs .29 Claims. (01. 1044156) This invention relates to toy railway cars and to appurtenances associated with both the: car and the track on which it runs for carrying and delivering a toy freight load and particularly load objects capable of rolling, and still more particularly a load object in the form of a toy wheeled vehicle or toy automobile. I

The appeal of toy railway set construction and operation asa hobby or as a mere plaything lies inthe effectiveness and variety of ways'in which the performance of toy parts can be made to simulate actual full size railroad operation. Yet for toy purposes the partsmust be sufficiently simple in construction and low in cost to make possible a .large quantity production that. will reduce consumer price. Thepresent improvements meetthese objectives as to a toy'freight handling railway car which is featured by realistic performance in automatically transporting and unloading therefrom a toy wheeled vehicle or other load object. 1 p

One object of the invention is to provid a toy railway fiat car for carrying a toy automobile and which is equipped with means to constrain the toy automobile against rolling on its own wheels atop the flatcar as well as against lateral displacement on such car as the latter starts or stops or swerves in rounding curves in the track.

A further object is to equip the car with mechanism which will unload the toyautomobile from the car by discharging it therefrom toa position beside the track and this, if desired, while the car remains coupled at bothof its ends to adjoining cars in the toy train. a

A further object is to discharge the toy automobile or other toy freight load from the car in two stages ofunloading action, the first stage consisting of swinging the toy' automobile about and away from its normal lengthwise alignment with the railway car and into a position in which the length of the toy load vehicle extends crosswise-of and overhangs th railway car, and the second stage consisting intilting the load vehicle in such manner that itwill roll off and down from the railway car preferably butf'n'ot necessarily by the force of gravity alone.

side sources of current supply from which electrical energy may be picked up by the railway car as a the latter passes predetermined points alongthe track.

A fulrther object is to provide electrical control means whereby the unloading mechanism carried by the railway car may be caused to perform its unloading function independently of the electrictrack circuit which supplies current for running the train, so that unloading action can take place either while the railway car is running alongits track or when the car stands stationary on the-track. r Ample examples of ways and means for attaining the foregoing and other objects will become clear from the following description, in which description reference is had to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

' Fig. l isa perspective view of a section of toy tached from its train and shown in the act of A further object is to provide mechanism for v the foregoing purpose whose parts will automatically restore themselves to theirnormal load carrying positions after having acted as described to discharge the toy load.

A further object is to equip the unloading car with electrically actuated means for automatically upon occasion discharging the toyload vehicle from the toy railway-car through trackdischarging a, toy load vehicle. 1

' F'g. 2 s a plan view of a portion of the length of therailwaycar in Fig. 1 showing an elongated turntilt table for supporting and discharging a load having its longest dimension normally disposed lengthwise of the car.

Fig. 3 is a view taken in section on the plane 3- 3 inFig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows., r v

Fig. 4 is aview' taken in section on the planes 4 -4 in arrows. Fig. 5 is a view taken in section on the plane 5+5 in Fig.2 looking in the direction of the arrows and showing the turn-tilt table shifted to load discharging positions crosswise of the car.

andalso showing the track structure.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view drawn on an enlarged scale showing the swiveling fulcrum bracket detached from the other parts. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view drawn on an enlarged scale looking upward at the bottom of the car platform and showing certain parts in section on the plane l.! in Fig. 3, the fulcrum bracket being positioned to dispose the length of the turn-tilt table leng" iwise of the car platform.

Fig. 8 is ,a view similar to Fig. '7 showing the fulcrum bracket swung a quarter turn to position the turn-tilt table as in Figs. 1 and 5.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged view of the fourth rail and associated track structure. looking .frOm the left at Fig. 5 from. thesection plane 9-9.

Fig. 2 looking in thedirection of the such may be of conventional form, the wheels of the cars and locomotive of the train riding on the two outside or traction rails H and I2 which are supported by, and may be in electrical contact with, the sleepers was usual: The" middle or third" or power rall supplies elec tric current to be picked up by the trolley or collector shoe of the toy locomotive andhenceis insulated from the sleepers I 3 and fromtraction rails II and If in any suitable manner as at 1-5.

Car In rolls on its usual form 01 toy traction wheels l-B whose axles support spaced trucks PI. The flat platform f9 of the car chasslsrests pivotally on each of the trucks IT in usualmanher and. as illustrated herein includes a top deck which affords therebelow a shallow space 2| occupied by certain parts of the unloading mechanism.

The unloading mechanism. consists mainlyof three principal units including an elongated runway type of. turn-tilt table 22 hinged on a. fulcrum base, here shown in the form of bracket 23', by means of thepivotpin [4. This fulcrum bracket rests on top of the deck 20 of platform I9 and swivels in relation thereto. The third main unit of the unloading mechanism comprises electromagnetic actuating means located under the car and designated as a whole by Q1.

Full details of the U-shaped fulcrum bracket 23 are best shown in 6 where it is seen to consist of a bed wall 28' from either side of'which upstands-the spaced andtaperi'ng head walls 29 containing in their low ends the holes fill for pivot pin 24 affording a pivot bearing and in their high ends theldetent notches 3! opening upward. A part of one headl wall29 is diverted horizontally to forms. fiat, continuation of the bed wall 28' thereby affording a lug 35 containing the pivot hole 38 offset considerably from the longitudinal center line of the bracket. Another part of the head wall section of thebracket is turned downward instead of upward to form the tongue 31 by means of which the fulcrum bracket 23 is" actuated. v 1

As best shown in Figs. 2', 7 and 8, the lug 3'5 o f fulcrum backet 23' is connected by a pivot stud 38 to the deck 20 of car platforml ina manner permitting the fulcrum. bracket to swivel freely from its normal position shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 7 to its unloading postion crosswise of the car shown in Figs. 5 and arena by broken lines in Fig. 2'. This swiveling movement of the fulcrum bracket is limited to 90 degrees of swing by the engagement of the actuating tongue31 of bracket 23 with stop means herein afforded by opposite ends of an arcuate slot 39 in the deck 20 of the car platform, through which slot tongue 31 extends downward to be engaged. by the cam-- like apertured plate 43 within the shallow deck space 2|. Cam or plate 43 has a flange 42. fixed rigidly on and carried by the extreme end of a magnet plunger 44 which 'as best shown in Fig. 7 is slidable into ancient ofthe magnet solenoid 45 of usual construction and thus serves as an electromagnetically operated actuator. This solenoid is rigidly mounted against the under surfaceof the platform deck 20 by means of one or more angle brackets 45 whose fastening rivets 41 are prevented from projecting above the top surface of deck 20 because occupying a slightly sunken or depressed panel space 48. A coiled spring 49 loosely surrounds plunger 44 and. constantly exerts a thrust tending to withdraw the plunger from the solenoid toward its position shown in Figs. 3 and 7. When electrically energized, the strength of pull of the solenoid upon the plunger overcomes the expansive tension in spring 49 and draws magnet plunger inward thusshifting its carried cam plate 43 to the positionshown in Fig. 8. Pivotal bearing pin 24 forms part ofwhat I may appropriately term a hinge joint while pivot stud 38 may be regarded as forming part of a swivel joint.

In the cooperative action of cam plate 43 and tongue 31' it will be understood" that the cam plate moves ina straight. path of travel while the tonguemust move in an arcuate path. In the normal relationship of this tongue and cam plate shown in Fig. '7; the tongue 31' occupies a notch 5| forming a. branch of the main aperture 52 in the'cam plate. Starting with the relationship of parts shown in full lines in Fig. 7,

it will be seen that the fulcrum bracket 23 is locked against movement because tongue 31' is lodged in notch 51 until the cam plate 43 has completed a preliminary movement toward the right; Until this has occurred no movement of tongue- 31' (in a direction toward the plunger 44' as required by the tongues' arcu'ate path of travel) can take place. Nevertheless the lodgmg of tongue 31' within notch 5|" in no way restrains earn plate 43 from moving toward the right when the solenoid 45 is electrically energized. The beginning of the cam. plate movement toward the right will shift the cam plate aperture 52" and its branch notch 51 into the broken line position indicated in Fig. '7. -At this point tongue 31*has become freed from not'ch or so that continued movement or cam plate 43 responding travel of aperture 52 constitutes lost motion relative totongue 31', but'thereafter the right edge 54 of aperture 52 picks up and impels tongue 31 ahead of it toward the left, this tongue gradually swinging counterclockwise in Fig. 8 to its broken line position in the latter figure whereinthe edge of tongue 31 is nearly disposed to be received again into the notch 52 which again will then cause the tongue to become locked against movement other than by subsequent actuation gnroigh plunger 34', as represented by full lines in In the position of fulcrum bracket 23as shown in Figs. 1, 5, 8 and by broken lines inFig. 2, the pivot pin is swung to a position best shown in Fig. Swhich is nearly at the side edge of the platform deck N of the car so that the right end of the turn-tilt table 22, which. inFigs S, 4. and. 7 rests upon. and is. prevented from tilting downward. by the platform deck 20, now overhangs and is free from restraint by the platform edge when inits brokenv line position in Fig. 5 so that it may tilt downward to its full line position shown in Fig. 5.

2,373,148 In the absence of a load thereon, table 22 will not tilt downward away from its horizontal position because the load deliveringend of the table contains a large aperture 56 which so much reduces the weight of this end of the table that the other end 51 at the opposite side of pivot pin 24 is the heavier. This preponderance of weight of the table end 51 is normally supported by the platforms deck 20 causing the table to maintain its broken line position in Fig. But if a heavy enough load is carried by the table 22 in such manner that the center of gravity of the load falls on the load delivering side of pivot 26, a turning moment may thereby be set up. causing the table to tilt clockwise into its full line position in Fig. 5 because the preponderance of weight is then on the load delivering end of the table. An inclined chute is thus provided by the tilted table off from which the load may slide or roll.

In Fig. 1 the load object is indicated to .consist of a toy wheeled vehicle 59 having two rear wheels, as 80, and twofront wheels, as Bl. The rear wheels in the usual manner of atoy vehicle are connected by an axle 62'which may be lodged loosely and removably within the detent notches 3| of the fulcrum bracket 28. This so positions the toy load vehicle on the turn-tilt table 22 that the center of gravity of the latter falls on the load delivering end of the table which contains aperture 56 so that this end ofthe table plus its share of the load becomes heavier than the opposite end 5'! of the table plus its share of the load, if any, with respect to the fulcrum pivot 24. Hence, the described dispositioning of the weight of the load vehicle can cause the table 22 to tilt from its broken line position in Fig. 5 to its full line position in Fig. 5 by gravity effect alone,

whereupon the vehicle axle 62 is swung upward out of and free from the detent notches 31 enabling the vehicle to roll down and off from the table. To provide guide rails or gangway tracks to direct the load vehicle lengthwise of the table 20, the latter is formed, into a runway by upturned edge flanges 63 and with similarlyupturned inner flanges 64 which receive the fulcrum pivot pin 24 and provide a smooth bearing thrust against the sides of fulcrum bracket 23. These flanges make of theturn-tilt table .22 a chute-like load receptacle or dump body which is connected to the car chassis by the swivel joint at 38 and by the hinge joint at 24. l

A conductive circuit by which solenoid is furnished with electric current for pulling plunger 44 from its position in Fig. 7 to its position in Fig. 8 includes the grounding of one end of the solenoid winding to the metallic car platform at 58 by means of the lead 61, while the other end ofthe same solenoid winding terminates in a lead wire 68 which is soldered or conductively secured otherwise to a metallic anchor member 69 on each side of the car. Member 89 is fixed by a rivet 10 to the stiff side plate H made of insulative material. springy electrical conductive wire fits tightly over the laterally extending finger 13 of each anchor member and is securely held thereby thus forming a very flexible cat's whisker" the outer free end of which constitutes a current collector shoe capable of riding yieldingly and lightly into engagement with the top edge of a fourth rail 15. The latter comprises an angle strip spanning and held fixedly on the top of the ends of two or more of the track sleepers l3 by rivets i6 and is insulated therefrom by separators 11.

A desirable arrangement of circuit connections One end of a line close wound coil 12 of and control instrumentalities for operating this improved toy is shown in Fig. 11 wherein represents a variable transformer capable of stepping down a home current supply line 0f 110 volts to a toy output range of, say, 7 to 15 volts. In the transformer here indicated apotential of 15 volts may be constantly delivered across binding posts 83 and 82 while the potential across binding posts 82 and 8| can be modulated between 7 /2 volts and 15 volts by turning the voltage regulating knob 84.

A line.85 connects binding post 8| with the third rail l4 of the track from which driving power is derived by the electric locomotive of the toy train. A line connects binding post 83 with the fourth rail 15, and this line is interruptible by a manually operable switch 81. A line 88 connects binding post 82 with either or both of the traction rails H or l2.

In operation a train containing the unloading car Ill may be run over the tracks of any desired toy railway lay-out at speeds determined by the voltage regulating knob 84 of the transformer 80 which will vary 'the potential between transformer terminals 8 l82 and thereby between rails l2 and I4 without of necessity changing the potential of 15 volts always available to rails l4 and 15 from transformer terminals 83-82 through the manual switch 81. The car Ill, whose chassis including platform l9 carries the vehicle 59 positioned thereon as in Fig. 3, may be unloaded by the action indicated in Fig. 1 when its current picke-up shoe, or cats whisker I2, is in contact with fourth rail 15 if switch 81 then be closed. This will establish a 15 volt circuit, traceable from 83 through 86, 81, 12, 68, the car carried solenoid 45, G1 and then the car platform, truck and wheels to traction rail l2 and thence back to the transformer terminal 82 through the lead 88. Upon thus being electrically energized, solenoid 45 draws into itself the magnetic plunger 44 which byfmovement from its position in Fig. 7 to its position in Fig. 8 causes the cam plate 43 to swing the fulcrum bracket 23 and with it the turntilt table 22 a quarter turn from positions shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 7 to positions shown in Figs. 5 and 8. Thereupon the weight of the toy load vehicle 59 becomes offset with respect to the edge of the car and tilts table 22 from its broken line position in Fig.5 to its full line position in Figs. 1 and 5, whereupon the load vehicle rolls down and off from the turn-tilt table at the side of the track. Upon being relieved of the weight of the load vehicle, the heavierend 51 of the turn-tilt table restores the latter to its broken line position in Fig. 5 whereupon if solenoid 45 is deenergized spring 49 acts through cam plate 43 to swing the table 22 back into longitudinal alignment with the platform of the railway car as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 ready to receive, transport and ble or incapable of rolling may be discharged from a turn-tilt table by such means as are herein provided so'long as their weight can be swung about to a position sufficiently overhanging the edge of the car with respect to the fulcrum pivot 24. Where this is not the case, means for forcibly causing the turn-tilt tableto assume its inclined position may be. provided it desired; The car deck 2!! is representative of any platform with respect to which the movable parts may function as herein taught.

Certain of the features of the invention described in the foregoingare claimed in my co pending divisional applications; Serial? No. 461,947, filed October 14-, 942, and Serial No. 492,433, fisled June 26, 194? The following claims are directed toand are intended to cover all substitutes and equivalents of the parts which are herein shown merely to illustrate the principles of the invention.

I claim: v

1 A toy railway car f'orltransporting along a toy track a toy load vehicle having wheels and a wheel axleand for discharging said vehicle at the side of the track, including the combination of; a car chassis, a fulcrum bracket swl'veled' on said chassis for turning relative thereto about a vertical axis, and an elongated table carried by said chassis adapted to support said toy wheeled vehicle with its wheel axle extending crosswise of 2. Mechanism for unloading a toy Wheeled veh-i'cle including in combination with a platform terminating at an edge elevated above its surroundings, a fulcrum bracket swivele'd on said platform to be turnable relative thereto about a vertical axis located near said edge of the platform, an elongated table adapted to. serve as a temporary rest for the toy vehicle when placed thereon in a position to roll lengthwise thereof, detent means to prevent rolling of said vehicle along said table, and a fulcrum joint connecting said bracket and table so that said table swings with said bracket between a position in which the vehicle delivering. end portion of the table overlies and rests onsaid platform to a position in which said table. end portion overhangs said edge of the platform, whereby said table endz portion is deprived of' support by said platform. and the weight of the toy vehicle resting upon said table end portion can cause said table automatically to tilt on said fulcrum joint relative to. said fulcrum bracket to an inclined position in. which position said vehicle will roll down and off from said table when released from said detent means.

8'. Mechanism for unloading a toy wheeled ve hicle as defined in claim 2, in which the said detent means is carried by the said fulcrum bracket and is so operatively disposed that the tilting of the said table relative to said fulcrum bracket releases the said toy wheeled vehicle from. said detent means.

4'. Mechanism for unloading a toy wheeled vehicle as defined in claim 2, in which the said. detent 'means is carried by the said fulcrum bracket and is constructed and arranged to engage said vehicle restrainingly while the center of gravity of the latter rests on the said vehicle discharging end portion of the said table and. in such manner as to permit the tilting of said ta bIe-to lift the detent engaged portion of said ass-1e; r48

vehicle to a position free. from. restraining em gagement by said. detent. means.

5. Mechanism for unloading a toy wheeled vehicle as defined claim 2;. in which. the said detent means is carried by the said fulcrum bracket: and is. constructed and arranged restrainingly to engage a relatively light portion of thelength of said! vehicle which rests onone side of the. said fulcrum joint while a. relatively heavier portion of the length: of said vehicle rests on, the said vehicledischarging end portionof said table on the opposite side of said fulcrum joint, thev engagement:- between. said detent means and. said lighter vehicle portion. enabling the said tilting of the said table to be caused by the distribution of weight of said vehicle with respect to said fulcrum bracket and. to lift said. lighter vehicle: portion to a position free from restraint by said detent means;

6s A toy railway car for transporting and discharging theretrom. a toy wheeled load vehicle, including the combination of, a car body having a. bare platform, a fulcrum bracket pivotally mounted on said platform. and having a. horizontally elongated head upstanding from said platform containing a detent notch. near one end thereof, a pivot. bearing supported on. said bracket head near the. other end; thereof, an elongated runway table fulcrumed on said pivot bearing atop said car platform. and supported by the latter against tilting about said bearing", said: table extending past said pivot. bearing in both directions and straddling and flanking said fulcrum bracketin a manner to support two of the.- wheels of a toy vehicle in positions spaced from said bearing in one direction and: to support the remaining. wheels of said vehicle in. positions spaced from said bearing in the opposite direction.

7. A toy railway car as defined. in claim 6 in which the said runwayv table; is. constructed and arranged to be. lighter in weight in its portion on the vehicle discharging side of the said pivot bearing than it is on the opposite side of said bearing,

and the said detent notch opens upward out of the said fulcrum bracket head in a position to receive and to interlock with a projecting portion of the said toy load vehicle; and hold: the latter against rollingwhile positioned with its center of gravity on. said vehicle discharging side of the pivot bearing.

8. A toy railway car for conveying a toy wheeled load vehicle along. a toy railway track and rolling said vehicle off from said car downward to a trackside. level, including the combination of, a toy car chassis having a side edge parallelling the rails of said track, a turn-tilt table carried by said chassis equipped. with. gangplank tracks supporting and guiding the wheels of said toy wheeled vehicle with the axis thereof extending crosswise of the car, swivel and hinge joints connecting said table to said chassis so cooperatively constructed and arranged that said hinge joint. enables said table at times to be tilted about a horizontal axis relative to; said chassis and; said swivel joint enables said table together with said hinge jointv to be swung about a vertica1 axis relative to said chassis to and away fromta position wherein. said horionztal axis is substantially at and parallel with one. side edge of said chassis, and stopmeans constructed and arranged to arrest swiveling movement of said table when said hinge axis. occupies its said position thereby to assure freedom for said table to tilt downward clear of said chassis to reach said trackside level.

9. A toy railway car for conveying a freight load along a. toy railway track and chuting said loadoff from said said car to the trackside level,- including the combination of, a car chassis haiing a side edge paralleling the rails of said track,- a' turntilt chute-like dump-body carried by said chassis, swivel and hinge joints connecting said body to said chassis so cooperatively constructed and arranged that said hinge joint enables said body at times to be tilted about a horizontal axis relative to said chassis and said swivel joint enables said body together with said'hinge' joint to be swung about a vertical axis relative to said chassis to and away from a position wherein said horizontal axis is substantially at and parallel with one side edge of said chassis. and stop means constructed and arranged to arrest swiveling movement of said body when said hinge axis occupies its said position thereby to assure freedom for said body to tilt downward clear of said chassis and chute said load to said trackside level.

10. A toy conveyance for transporting a toy load and then chuting said load oil from said conveyance to deliver it at a predeterminedlo cationuon ground levelbeside the conveyance, including the combination of, a long and relatively narrow conveyance frame, a turn-tilt chute-like load receptacle carried on said frame comprising a table sufficiently long to reach from said frame to the ground level alignable lengthwise with said frame and connected thereto in a mannerto be swiveled to a position crosswise of said frame about a vertical axis located nearer the side edge than the longitudinal center line or said frame, and a joint between said table and. .said frame enabling the latter to be tiltable about a horizontal axis until one end thereof rests at said ground level when said tableoccupies its said swiveled position.

ll. A toy conveyance for transporting a toy. load and then chuting said load ,off fromsaid conveyance to deliver it at a predetermined location on ground level beside the conveyance, including the combination of, a long and relatively narrow conveyance. frame, a turn-tilt chute-like load receptacle carried on saidirame comprising a table sufiiciently long to reach from said frame to the ground level alignable lengthwise with said frame and connected thereto in a manner to be swiveled about a vertical axis. located nearer the side edge than the longitudinal center line of said table to a position crosswise of said frame, and a joint between said table and said frame enabling the latter to be tiltable about a hori-' zontal axis until'one end thereof rests at said ground level when said table occupies its said swiveled position.

12. A toy conveyance for transporting atoy load and then chuting said load off from said. conveyance to deliver it ata predetermintdlocationon ground level beside the conveyance, .in-.

cluding the combination of, a long andrelatively narrow conveyance frame, a turn-tilt chute-like load receptacle carried on said frame comprising a table sufiiciently long to reach from said frame to the ground level alignable lengthwise with said frame and connected thereto in a manner to be swiveled to a position crosswise of said frame about a vertical axis located nearer to the side edge than to the longitudinal center line of either said frame or said table, and a joint between said table and said frame enabling the former to be tiltable about a horizontal axis until one end thereof rests at said ground level when said table occupies its said swiveled position.

13. A' toy railway'car for transporting a toy wheeled load vehicle along a toy track and diselongated turn-tilt'table carried by said chassis adapted to support said toy wheeled vehicle thereupon with the wheelaxis of the vehicle extending crosswise of the car, and. joint structure connecting said table to said chassis in a manner enabling the former to be turned relative to the latter about a vertical axis for-disposing the wheel axis of said vehiclelengthwise of said car and also enabling said table to be tilted in relation tosaid chassis about a horizontal axis for causing said vehicle to roll off from the car at the side of the track, together with detent means constructed and arranged to engage with the said toy wheeled load vehicle to prevent it from rolling on the said table lengthwise of the car, said detent means being so cooperatively related to said table that tilting of the latter about said gatedreceptacle adapted to serve as a stable restfor a toy load to be. transported by said conveyance and. dumped therefrom, .joint afiording structure movably connecting said lead receptacle to said conveyance frame insuch manner that the receptacle is turnable, both about a vertical axis from a normal riding positionon said frame to a pre-dumping position crosswise of andoverhangingsaid frame and also tiltable upon-a horizontal axis from a relatively stable load-carrying position on said frame to a. relatively inclined load dumping position, saidreceptacle being normally biased with respect to said horizontal axis to swing thereabout from its said load dumping position to its said load carry-' ing position automatically when freed from said load, and means to locate a load on said receptacle in a position wherein the weight of the load counteracts and may overcome said biasing of the receptacle thereby to cause said receptacle to tilt and dump the load automatically when said receptacle occupies its said pre--dumping position. p

15. A toy railway car comprising a wheeled chassis, said wheels being flanged for operation on a toy track, atoyvehicle having regular wheels for land operation, a vehicle runway on top of said chassis and dimensioned to receive and support the wheels ofthe wheeled vehicle, means to incline the runway for discharge of said vehicle therefrom, and an upwardly projecting member dimensioned to receive a part of said toy vehicle and thereby to prevent longitudinal movement of the vehicle on the runway when the runway is in horizontal position, said member being disengaged froin the toy vehicle when the runway is moved to inclined position, thus permitting said vehicle to roll on its own wheels down the inclined runway.

16. The combination of, a toy railway carincluding'a wheeled chassis adapted to roll on a toy track, a smaller toy vehicle transportable on said railway car, a vehicle carrying elongated table on said chassis having a vehicle discharging end,

. means to incline said table about an axis extendlevel, for discharging saidsvehicle therefrom, a barrier constructed and arranged to restrain said vehicle against departure from said table in the direction of said .end thereof when said table is in horizontal position, said table :and barrier being cooperatively associated in a manner to 'render said barrier ineffective to restrain-said vehicle when said table is inclined.

17. The combination of, a toy railway car including a wheeledchassis, a smaller toy vehicle transportable on said railway car, a vehicle-carrying table on said chassis, means to incline said table for discharging said vehicle therefrom, an upwardly projecting member on said chassis shaped and arranged to engage a part of said vehicle in a manner to cause restraint of the latter against departure in a least one direction from said table when said table is in horizontal position, said table and member being so cooperatively shaped and arranged that said table may be inclined-while said member remains stationary thereby to move said vehicle relatively to said stationary member in a direction to release said vehicle from restraint by said member.

.18. The combination of, a toy railway car including an elongated wheeled chassis, a smaller elongated toy vehicle transportable on saidra'ilway car, an elongated vehicle runway on top of said chassis extending crosswise thereof, means to incline said runway in a plane crosswise of said chassis for discharging said vehicle therefrom, an upwardly projecting member on said chassis shaped and arranged to engage a part of said vehicle while the latter is longitudinally aligned with said runway in a manner to cause restraint of the vehicle against rolling lengthwise of saidrunway when said runwayis in horizontal position, said runway and member being so shaped and cooperatively arranged that inclining said runway tilts said vehicle and simultaneously frees the latter from restraint by said member.

.19, .A toy railway car including .a wheeled chassis whose wheels are flanged for operation on a toy track, a toy vehicle having regular wheels for land operation, a vehicle carrying table on top of said chassis, means to incline said table so that one end thereof is lowered to the level of said track at the .side =01 the latter for discharging said vehicle from said table without overturning the former, a barrier movably .anchored to said chassis and upstanding from the latter to engageapart of said vehicle in a manner to restrain the latteragainst departure from the latter when said table ,is .in horizontal position, anddcommon means ioperatively related to both said table and barrier in va mannerto cause said end of .said table to be lowered to said track level and to free said vehicle from restraint by said barrier.

20. A toy railway car for transportingand ,dis-

charging therefrom a toy vehicle having .at least two wheels and an .axle extending therebetween,

includingthe combinationvof, acar body including a platform structure, a detent member pivotally mounted on and upstanding from said platform.

structure containing .a detent notch in ,its upper end portion, a pivotal bearing near one ed e of said platform structure, [and an elongated runway atop said car platform fulcrumed at said bearing and straddling and flanking said detent member in a manner to support .said two vehicle wheels in such position andalignment that said vehicle axle is .lodgeable in said detent notch.

; horizontal axis, detent means on said car constructed rand arranged-to block the path of said vehicle in at least one direction of vehicle departure from said table when the latter is in horizontal position, and motivating means on said chassis operable to cause said table to be tilitedabout said pivotal support in a manner to cause said vehicle to be lifted above and thereby freed from said detent means.

22. In a toy railway car for transporting and discharging therefrom a toy vehicle, a car chassis, a table pivotally supported atop said car chassis in a manner to be tiltable about a horizontal axis, detent means movably mounted on said chassis constructed and arranged to block the path of said vehicle in at least one direction of vehicle departure from said table when the latter is in horizontal position, and actuatingmeans on said chassis operable to motivate said detent means relative to said chassis in a manner to cause said table to be tilted and said vehicle to be lifted above and-freed fromsaid detent'means.

23. The combination with a toy railway car chassis for transporting and discharging therefrom a toy vehicle, a table pivotally supported atop said chassis in a manner to be tiltable about a horizontal axis, detent means movably mounted on said chassis constructed and arranged to "block the .path of said vehicle in at least one direction of ,vehicle departure from said table when the latter is in horizontal position, actuating means on said chassis for motivating said detent means and said table, and connections operatively associating said detent means said table and said actuating means constructed and arranged to enable said actuating means to shift said detent means and said table to positions in which the vehicle is lifted above and becomes freed from said detent means.

24. Toy freight delivering mechanism including in combination with a platform terminating at an edge elevated ,above its surroundings, a fulcrum base swiveled on said platform to turn elative thereto about a vertical axis, an elongated table adapted to serve as a temporary rest for a toy freight load to be delivered from said platform, and a fulcrum joint connecting said turnable fulcrum base and table so that said table swings with the turning of said base between a position in which the load delivering end portion of the table overlies and rests level on said platform to a pre-dumping position in which said table end portion is deprived of support by said platform and the weight of the toy freight load resting thereupon can cause said table automatically to tilt about said fulcrum joint from its said preadumpin position to a load dumping -position .thereby to dump said load, said table being biased with respect to said fulcrum joint to swing automatically thereabout from its load dumping position to its original level when freed from said lead.

.25. Toy freight delivering mechanism including in combination with a platform terminating at an edge elevated above its surroundings, .a fulcrum base swiveled on said platform to turn relative thereto about a verticalaxis, an elongated table adapted to serve as ,a temporary rest fora toy freight load to be delivered from said plate form, and .a fulcrum joint connecting said turnable fulcrum base and table so that said table swingings with the turning of said base between a. position in which the load delivering end portion of the table overlies and rests level on said platform to a pre-dumping position in which said table end portion is deprived of support by said platform and the weight of the toy freight load resting thereupon can cause said table automatically to tilt about said fulcrum joint from its said pre-dumping position to a load dumping position thereby to dump said load, the weight of said table alone being so distributed that said load delivering end portion of the table is lighter in weight than portions of the table on the opposite side of said fulcrum joint whereby when relieved of the weight of said load the table automatically tilts back, to its original level.

26. Toy freight delivering mechanism including in combination with a platform terminating at an edge elevated above its surroundings, a fulcrum bracket swiveled on said platform to turn relative thereto about a vertical axis located near said edge of the platform, an elongated table adapted to serve as a temporary rest for a toy freight load to be delivered from said platform,

and a fulcrum joint connecting said bracket and table so that said table swings with said bracket between a position in which the load delivering end portion of the table overlies and rests on said platform to a position in which said table end portion overhangs said edge of the platform, whereby said table end portion is deprived of support by said platform and the weight of the toy freight load resting thereupon can cause said table automatically to tilt about said fulcrum joint and dump said load, the weight of said table alone being so distributed that said load delivering end portion of the table is lighter in weight than portions of the table on the opposite side of said fulcrum joint whereby when relieved of the weight of said load, the table automatically tilts back to its original level.

27. In a toy railway car for transporting a toy load object and causing the latter to swing about in a horizontal plane relative to the car, the combination of a car platform having an aperture, a turnable structure pivotally mounted on said platform including a turntable adapted to support the toy load object, a projection carried by said structure extending to below said platform through said aperture, and an electromagnetically operated actuator mounted beneath said platform in a manner to slide in a straight path of travel and constructed and arranged to impel said projection in an arc of travel for causing said structure to swing about its pivot relative to said platform.

28. In a toy railway car for transporting a toy load object and causing the latter to swing about in a horizontal plane relative to the car, the combination defined in claim 27, in which the said actuator includes a cam, constructed and arranged to engage and impel said projection in an arc of travel while permitting relative sliding movement between said cam and said projection.

29. In a toy railway car for transporting a toy load object and causing the latter to swing into and become releasably locked in an objective position relative to the said car platform, the combination defined in claim 27, in which the said actuator includes a cam constructed and arranged to engage and impel said projection in an arc of travel extending partially crosswise the said straight path of actuator travel, said cam having a notch shaped and disposed to be found and entered by said projection while the latter is being impelled by the actuator and in a manner to lock said projection against movement relative to said cam without looking said cam against movement relative to said projection, thereby to establish and maintain the said turntable in the said objective position until subsequently impelled therefrom through reverse movement of said actuator.

RICHARD G. SMITH. 

